regard@ttidcc.UUCP (Adrienne Regard) (05/28/85)
>> Now, about the "innocent male victims" accusation: If women are >> guilty of inviting rape merely by going out on the street at >> night...maybe men should be guilty by association too. Right >> now, men have a lot more political and economic power than women >> in general. Does that mean they support the current situation, >> and the current rape statistics? Probably not, but still... >> >> Ellen Eades > >No one on net.women has claimed that "women are guilty of inviting rape >merely by going out on the street at night". No responsible person in >our society believes that. This belief that Ellen has in "guilty by >association" is a clear demonstration of *why* feminism is perceived >by many people in this country as an excuse for man-hating, in much the >same way that the KKK promotes general hatred of blacks because of the >criminal actions of a few blacks. Ellen's statement was couched as a hypothesis -- not a statement of opinion or of fact. She specifically dilutes the strength with her last line, and it's pretty obvious to this "responsible person in our society" that Ellen isn't foaming at the mouth, or that she is a brainwashed victim of some great feminist conspiracy against men (where have I heard that before?), and that she is suggesting that even the innocent men may have a responsi- bility for prevailing attitudes that currently limit the freedoms of women. I don't think she was voicing a belief, but encouraging thought. You've got a hang up on the KKK. Adrienne Regard